Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and the leading non-infectious killer of children in the first year of life. CHD represents abnormalities of heart formation in utero. Recent advances in understanding the molecular bases for heart formation and the recognition of cross-species conservation of regulatory pathways provide a rich scientific base for understanding the etiologies of CHD. The prospect of combining the advances in cardiogenesis with a theme of congenital heart defects in this Symposium offers an opportunity to focus basic science mechanisms on efforts to understand and prevent heart disease. In addition, the collection of multidisciplinary fields will spur efforts to utilize knowledge of cardiac development to construct new valves, vessels and other cardiovascular tissues. Bringing developmental biologists, geneticists, molecular biologists, cardiologists and bioengineers together will allow interactions that will spur scientific progress and stimulate interest in trainees in the field. The exposure of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to the exciting opportunities in this field is essential for future progress and for the career development of the trainees. [unreadable] [unreadable]